


Stupefied

by VoidAndroid



Category: Stargate - All Series, Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Fluff, M/M, SGA, Stargate, Stargate Atlantis - Freeform, kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-22
Updated: 2013-07-22
Packaged: 2017-12-20 23:36:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/893229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VoidAndroid/pseuds/VoidAndroid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rodney doesn't like being unable to understand the cryptics of human nature, especially when it comes to the actions of John Sheppard.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stupefied

Notes: This is just a short, slightly too long to be called a drabble, fluff fic. It's supposed to be set sometime in season one

Stupefied

Rodney McKay had never doubted his own intellience. Sometimes he might slightly doubt his intuitions, instincts, and decisions that he didn't have quite enough information on to make one hundred percent credible, but he was still aware that he was a genius. No one argued this point with him and Rodney was rather quick to remind everyone of his brain power on an irritably frequent basis. 

When a dire situation rose and he was unable to come up with an immediate solution, Rodney often panicked, but even during such events his brain was still functioning on a higher plane to come up with answers to save others and very importantly, himself. What would Atlantis do without his quick last minute problem solving abilities after all?

These were all reasons why Rodney completely despised things he could not understand. Perhaps a more accurate conclusion would be that he hated himself for being unable to work out the puzzles with which he was confronted. John Sheppard, for instance. A brilliant man, self confident to the point where some wrongly considered him egotistical, and only somewhat aware of his natural and overwhelming charm. Rodney had noticed it immediately upon meeting him. He was sure that most people would. 

"Can't make a decision on what to eat?" John asked him one day as they stood in the mess hall, reflecting on their choices. 

Rodney began constructing a sandwich, something he found to be safe when all other food seemed negligible. It wasn't necessarily that he didn't find it palatable, but if he even sniffed a hint of citrus from the kitchen, alarms clamored in his brain. 

He gave John a lopsided smile which was more arrogance than warmth. "I am almost positive that is lemon pepper chicken," he said, as if that explained everything.

Sheppard gave him a prolonged glanced from underneath arched brows. McKay could feel his face coloring from the scrutiny. "What?"

"Oh nothing," Sheppard claimed, placing a large cup of pudding on his tray and sliding it off the counter. "If you're gonna sit with me, better hurry. I get swarmed."

McKay considered it for only a moment. Sheppard often ate alone unless it was someone from his team joining him. Rodney had always figured it was because of his military status; some would find that intimidating, but Rodney was a scientist and had never concerned himself much with officials. 

He followed Sheppard to an empty table and opened his "fun-sized" bag of chips. He didn't understand the term, because it was never fun when he ran out of chips, and he always did before he'd had enough. So calling the bag fun-sized was very innacurate in his opinion. It should have been labeled leaving-you-disappointed sized.

"Are you trying to think the chips out of your bag?" 

Rodney looked up at Sheppard, who was staring at him. "I think while I eat. It's something we geniuses do. Think."

Sheppard gave him a grimacing smile and looked down at his own plate, poking his meatloaf before taking a small bite out of it. There was next to no conversation, mostly John listening to Rodney drone on about things he understood but pretended he didn't. 

"...And that's how I saved the colony," Rodney finished, grinning with self importance. He took a huge bite out of his already decimated sandwich and continued to grin through it.

"I know. I was there."

Rodney nodded and his smile dimmed. "Yes, of course. Right."

John stared at Rodney's face some more, watching the other man's mouth as he ate. "Excuse me, but I need to go punch things for a while."

"Um, is there anything citrusy on your plate?" Rodney asked hopefully.

"Help yourself."

~*~

The dull thud of fists impacting leather encased sand echoed through the empty hallway. John Sheppard was alone in the training room, having stripped to his black undershirt and military issue pants as he pounded with vigor at the suspended punching bag. It rocked slightly beneath the weight of his jabs and he beat the damn thing until he was damp with sweat. Usually he would have had a good old fashioned stick fight with Teyla, but she was visiting the other Ethosians and John couldn't think of a better way to focus his frustrations other than by beating the hell out of a punching bag. 

Every time he was alone with Rodney, John ended up pissed off. Not because the man annoyed him, as he had when they first met, but because he wanted him. His arroganat smile, the way he shoved food in his face, his fast paced talking and even his fear of anything that smelled like a grapefruit made John incredibly incensed to kiss him. He wanted to feel Rodney's lopsided lips soften beneath his, perhaps shut him up for a few moments. 

Not that John was in love with Rodney. Of course he wasn't. He hardly knew anything about him outside of work, and what little he did led him to believe the other man was a hopeless case when it came to romance and befriending other people in general. It wasn't surprising. His self proclaimed arrogance was a turn off. To most people.

He was reflecting on these things when he heard someone clear their throat from behind him. 

"What is it?" he asked without turning and without missing a beat. "Can't you see I'm busy punishing something?"

"Yes actually, that's rather obvious." Rodney's voice, sounding curious, came from the doorway. 

John groaned out loud. This was the very thing he was trying to get away from and here it was, interrupting. "What do you want Rodney?"

"I've come to notice something. I was hoping you would hear me out?"

John finally ceased punching and turned to look at Rodney as he took deep, steadying breaths. His arms were aching and his heart beat erratically. "Go on," he invited as he grabbed a small towel and wiped his sweat damp face with it.

"Do you dislike me?" he blurted ungracefully, all eloquence apparently forgotten. "I mean, I know most people do and it really doesn't make a difference to me. They're just envious of my genius after all. But you John-"

"No, I don't dislike you," John interrupted, blotting at his neck with the towel. "You are annoying and sometimes, no frequently, come off as an egotistical jerk, but I don't dislike you." 

Rodney gazed at him with his intelligent gray blue eyes as if trying to discern whether or not John was using his trademark sarcasm. "Are you sure? Because today at lunch I really felt-"

"Oh just shut up already!" John removed his punching gloves and flung them down on his duffel bag. "I said I don't dislike you so just go with it, okay?"

"No sarcasm intended then."

"No, none." 

"I really can't tell. You still sound kind of sarcastic. And you're doing that thing with your eyebrows."

"What thing?"

"That, right there. It's like a scowl, but it's actually not. Or maybe it is in this case. It's very difficult to tell."

John tried to relax his face and make it as passive as he possibly could. It was almost entertaining to see Rodney so uncomfortable and confused. 

"All right then, I'll just be going. It was good to uh, chat with you. You can go back to... whatever it is you were doing." Rodney attempted to retreat, but he stopped when John placed a hand on his arm, stilling him.

"I really don't dislike you."

Without thinking it through because John often ran on impulses, he kissed Rodney. It seemed the appropriate thing to do while they were alone and the other man was acting so damn adorable. Disgustingly adorable. When had he become attracted to adorable? It didn't matter, because Rodney's mouth was opening probably in shock, and John placed his sore hands on either side of Rodney's face and forced a kiss on him that he hoped the scientist felt in his entire body.

Rodney made a sound, something between a groan and a surprised grunt. He pulled away just long enough to speedily say, "I'm not good dating material. I'm allergic to citrus, most people don't like me, and I'm slightly out of shape."

"I don't like lemons, I don't care what other people think, and you're not nearly fat. Plus who said anything about dating? It's just a kiss." 

John pressed in again and this time McKay relented, closing his eyes and clasping Sheppard's narrow shoulders in his hands as if he didn't know what else to do with them. He had only just begun to relax and let Sheppard have the control he craved when the other man suddenly leaned away. John's hands were on his waist, fingers gently anchored there, and Rodney was suddenly aware of how thick he was compared to John.

"See, I don't dislike you." John gave him one of his heart melting smiles and another small, biting kiss. "So quit your worrying." He turned away then and picked up his duffel, zipping it closed. "See ya 'round."

Rodney watched him walk away, unable to form any words or even think coherently, for the first time in his life completely stupefied.


End file.
